The conceptual knowledge of preservice secondary mathematics teachers: How well do they know the subject matter they will teach?

Abstract

The success of the current reform movement in mathematics education depends on teachers' conceptual knowledge of the school mathematics subject matter. The prospective secondary mathematics teacher typically completes a major or minor in mathematics in order to gain certification. Through the process of interviews in order to explore and describe the knowledge of the school mathematics subject matter held by nine preservice secondary mathematics teachers at varying stages in the completion of their college-level content requirements, it was found that the subject matter knowledge of these prospective teachers was generally lacking in conceptual depth. Introduction